What would be the reason for leaving the grass strip on either the steps or drive sides of the triangle? More work with a weed wacker or somesuch - might be more appealing to let plants delineate the border between hardscape and gardenscape.

To get into the space you're contemplating without establishing paths, you'll have to work out planting patterns that allow for the occasional footfalls maintenance requires. A reasonable amount of unplanted ground with mulch showing in a bed isn't all that unattractive... a little more "kempt" looking than a run riot of ever expanding plant material you can't easily access.

Maybe the friendly folks on the Cottage Garden forum would have some good ideas for you.

The reason for leaving the grass strip is because the driveway has a little curve and visitors and teenaged sons often get off the driveway onto a little patch of lawn. If someone is going to run over something, I'd rather they run over grass than the garden.

I like the idea of smaller "areas" inside the larger area with some unplanted mulch in between. You probably wouldn't see a lot of this from the street but it might make it look for intentional from up close.

Thanks for the suggestion about the Cottage Forum. I'll see what they say there.

I like the grass strips as long as they do not become too narrow. The part that I do not understand is why you feel like you need paths to maintain your garden. Why not just step in between the plants and do what you have to do?

It looks like this might look good from the street since the driveway dives down. It could be a good opportunity to frame the house and down play the driveway turnaround in front of the drive under garage that I'm guessing is there (entering the end of the house?).

Do you have apicture from the street?

I think there is the idea--not all wrong--that it's not good to smash and compact your soil by stepping in the garden. Of course, then if you leave some blank space, that takes care of that mostly because it's fallow ground, so to speak.

My problem is I plant too much stuff and then don't have a place to step, or I step on some bulbs just coming up or whatever. Or, I want to try to always step in the same place so as to confine my compacting to just a few spots.

So, I don't always maintain an entire "path," but sometimes put a largish flat rock or 2 as space-holders in areas where I'm likely to need to step to weed or prune. These help me remember not to plant every square inch and provide a target for my clumsy feet. I usually try to use very natural rocks so you either don't notice them or they look like, well, a rock that's been left in the garden, and not a pre-formed paver, but you can use whatever you want.

I think I see a more significant problem. How wide is this drive? Is this the main drive to the home? Looking at the picture on my right I see tree roots above ground. It they are above my guess is they are also contributing to the lift I'm seeing on the drive. You might want to address that issue first before you design an additional garden. The reason I say this is because if you spend time and energy in the planning the potential of a very lovely garden it won't be so lovely if all has to be taken out to replace the drive. If this is a seldom used drive by all means go ahead and create the look you want. I like the expantion of the garden. I would most likely bring the whole area to the drive as well as the steps. If you can you could also incorperate this area to the back garden area I see in the back ground. One way to make paths that you are asking about would be to make the whole bed mulched with one color like dark brown and the a lighter color that would define the path, such as a gold, or red. Hope this helps.

Here's what I'm seeing, terracing it a bit...instead of grass on that strip that runs along the driveway I would level it even with the driveway and use peagravel or pavers over a tamped base. That would prevent a muddy mess if they do run over it...then terrace up and create two levels in that garden area

Here's an idea of what I'm trying to explain...the terrace would enable you to access both levels without having to make a path...

HTH!

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Tara